The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-12-17

| the dreaded "houSe," where the poor are
taken in the last extremity.
| Among the other important guests were
the "little tailor and his WIFE," ''Sally's
grandmother" Johnny and his mother"
and the poor lodger." Sally's grand
mother was in receipt of parish relief.
/ The poor lodger," as the neighbors called
him, was young man about whom no one
knew any more than that he did notsap-
| pear to have friend in the world, and
that he had been in desperate need,
having just struggled through long i'll
ness in an attic Of house where lodged
Johnny and his mother. The latter, sail
or's widow, only just contrived to keep
body and soul together by working for the
| city warehouses; and the little tailor and
his wife got their living by patching and
botching for people as poor as themselves.
Although every one else jested about the
| little tailor and his wife clinging to the
belief that they would again see their son,
| who had gone abroad to seek his fortune,
and had not been heard of for two years,
Honor did not. The belief helped them to
bear their privations better than they might
otherwise have done, she thought.
And there was Grace Fairlie, the Nation
al School mistress. a gentlewoman who
had been quite alone in the world since
her mothers death; and poor little Annie,
the drunken cobbler's daughter, and the
| good-natured old soldier, with the bullet in
his leg, who helped everybody. The ladies
were almost afraid they would be obliged
to send a separate invitation to the bullet,
it was such an important factor in the old
mans life.
Then, there was Mrs. Parnell, who was
"genteeln They were uncertain whether
| she would come, for, although she had now
the recommendation of being poor and
lonely, she prided herself upon having
''once moved in a different sphere" She
talked of her father having been an agent
| for something or somebody, and alluded to
her late husbands ''avocations" in way
| which, il slightly indefinite, had its effect
in Paradise row. She thought a great deal
about keeping up the distinction of
classes, "and the proper observances of ETH
| quette; and she told Aunt Margaret that
| she had serious doubts as to whether she
could call upon her and Honor, until she
heard they had a piano and taught French.
! Nobody refused, and five O'Clock on
| Christmas afternoon they had every thing
prepared. 1t was cold, Christmas weather,
so the curtains were drawn, bright fire
was burning in every room, chairs and
| cOuches, hired for the occasion from the
| broker round the corner, were plentiful,
and Honor's piano-forte at the further end
| of the sittng-room opened ready for use.
| There was certain fitness even in the
| hired furniture. The small settee for the lit
tie tailor and his wife; the faded, crimson
easy-chair-so fitting a throne for gentillty
| for Mrs. Parnell; the big, highs honldered
one, so admirably adapted for the poor
! lodger, who, rumOr said did not like to be
! looked at; the pretty little lounge full OF
| dimples with STOOL at its feet, for Johnny
| and his mother; the old-fashloned one with
| the cushions for Mamie, and the straight
| backed one with the arms for the old SOL
der; they all seemed to have been specially
designed TO suit the different idiosyncra'
cies of the guests.
Mrs. Parnell was the first to arrive.
She entered the room with Il very grand
air, and in full dress, as it had been In
vogue some thirty years previously, wear
ing an elaborate turban head dress, an
Adelaide colored satin gown, white gloves
and gold spangled fan, all little faded,
and worn ana soied, but showing that Mrs.
| Parnell considered that she had come TO an
orthodox evening party and understood
what was expected on such occasions.
Honor hurriedly conducted her to the
seat of honor, explaining that she felt it SC
kind of her to come and help them entertain
their guests who were for the most part
people in humble life.
Mrs Parnell looked rather disagreeably
surprised and drew herself up a little
haughtily for moment But she had only
time to say that, though she had not been
accustomed to mix with her interiors, she
had no objection to do so for once, and
under the circumstance of being invited to
assist in entertaining the good people,
when, after little scufflng in the passage,
the door opened, and, assisted by friend
ly push from Sally, old Mamie entered the
room.
To figure as one Of the guests for whom
she had helped to prepare was just at first
too much for old Nannie's philosophy,
There was certainly a great contrast be-
tween Mrs Parnell in her faded grandeur
and Mamie in her short, scant, well-worn
merino gown, her plain muslin cap. her
sleeves too short to cover her bony wrists
and her hands bearing witness to a life Of
toll. Her only preparation for company
seemed to have been that Of turning down
her cuffs, which were usually turned up
putting on an old-fashioned collar with
frill reaching to her thin shoulders, and
pinned on awry, with brooch of Camder
Town emeralds and diamonds purchased
for her by Sally in honor of the occasion.
So far all was going on propitiously; anc
no sooner was Mamie indicted into he.
comfortable chair by the fire in the bach
room, where she sat with hand PLANTED
upon each knee and her eyes turned com
placently toward the Widespread table
than the little tailor and his wife-neithel
of them much more than five feet high
were ushered in.
The pretty fair-hared school-mistress il
deep mourning was welcomed, and afte
her came Johnny and his mother. No on,
seemed to think of calling her any thin!
but ''JohnRy's mother" With them CAM
the ''poor lodger," who had not been easil.
induced to accept the invitation, and wit
was looking very doubtful and reserved
and on the defensive, so to speak, as though
their motive was as yet not quite clear Il
him.
But Honor's diplomatic little aside, which
has answered so well with the others
seemed to succeed with him also; at an.
rate, so far as disarming his suspicion
, went. In reply he bowed low, with few
words about his estimation OF the privieg
} of being allowed to assist Miss Bryson il
any way. But it was enough TO show tina
t he was gentleman, had he not, EVIDENT
} weak as he was, and appreciative of tn
. comfortable chair assigned to him, so coul